No Longer Wanted
by rainbowlite606
Summary: Chapter Two uploaded- Ephram realizes that not everyone in the town blames his family for the tragedy particularly the girl of his dreams...Read and Review!
1. Prologue:Colin's Death

No Longer Wanted  
Everwood Fanfiction  
A Fanfiction set after "Home"  
  
Summary: Colin Hart has died and for the citizens of Everwood nothing will ever be the same again. The whole town is in utter shock and grief. Andy Brown has failed for the first time in his career as a neurosurgeon. The town, in shock, blames Andy for Colin's death as does Amy Abbott, Colin's girlfriend. Upset, she begins to fall into a depression. Bright, her brother, is also deeply hurt by the loss of his former best friend and wonders if he should have stuck by him the whole time. Ephram and Andy too feel guilty over Colin's death. Ephram's guilt and grief starts to take over his life and Andy feels helpless to do anything for anybody, even for his own son.  
  
Prologue  
  
Colin's Death  
  
The waiting had been torture for everyone, especially the Hart's, Ephram knew. He looked at the clock on the wall. And then he heard footsteps approaching the room. He looked up and saw the grim expression on his father's face. The news was to be anything but good.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, but Colin has died. He had too much bleeding. I couldn't stop it. I'm sorry."  
  
Ephram did not want to believe his father. And no one else did either.  
  
"No, no, this can't be," he heard the Hart's say over their tears. Amy, on the other hand, was speechless, crying too hard to even think. The reality had yet to set in.  
  
"I'm sorry," Ephram's father said again. But no words were going to comfort the Hart's or the Abbott's. Colin was gone and nothing could change that.  
  
This was going to all be blamed on Andy Brown. Dr. Brown, his father, had failed for the first time in his career as a neurosurgeon. This time it would be worse, Ephram knew, for his father had known far too much about Colin. Ephram didn't know if his father could handle another tragedy so soon. For that matter, he didn't know if he could handle another one either.  
  
The death of his mother had rocked his little corner of the world, and the death of Colin would rock the town of Everwood, Colorado.  
  
Ephram was sure of this. Colin mattered to so many people in this town. He, after all, had been the golden boy of Everwood. A person many people had liked and respected. He wondered if he should have been more like them, more sympathetic. Then again, the people in the town knew who Colin really was. Ephram only knew Colin the second.  
  
The Colin, who was so different after the accident, the Colin who had become violent. Ephram knew he shouldn't feel guilty, but still he did. He should have stayed by Colin the whole time. Instead he had let his jealous feelings get in the way of a new friendship.  
  
Ephram looked over at Amy. Colin's girlfriend and the girl of his dreams. He saw the hurt and the tears in her eyes, and could not bear to watch her any longer. He tore his eyes away from her and looked at his father, instead.  
  
Ephram could see the guilt in his father's eyes as well. Ephram knew his father was torn inside at having failed a patient and his patient's loved ones. Ephram stood up and slowly walked over to his father.  
  
He didn't know what to do right then. But he hugged his father, knowing he needed comfort. He just didn't know what to say.  
  
"Dad, I," Ephram stammered. But he couldn't go on. Should I tell him that he tried his best? No, those words even seem hollow to me. No words seemed right. He let go of his father, then.  
  
"Let's go, dad," he whispered. He could not stand being in this place any longer with everyone's grief. He felt like crying too, but would not, for his father's sake.  
  
His father looked at him, gratefully. But Andy knew he would not be leaving any time soon. Once the Hart's had recovered, he would be answering a lot of questions. Escape was not an option for New York's most famous neurosurgeon.  
  
Ephram looked at his father and saw what he was thinking. He wanted to leave, but his father was trapped and couldn't go. Feeling slightly nauseated by the hospital's sterile smell, Ephram went to sit back down. He felt as if he had been here too often in the past year and he never wanted to come back. This place, in the future, he knew, would stir up too many memories.  
  
Too many painful ones, he thought, as the nausea was replaced by dizziness. He thought back to a few months ago when Amy had first taken him to visit her boyfriend. The knowledge that she loved some one else had hurt more deeply than he let on. When he had kissed her, the night they had been on a field trip, it seemed as if his wildest dreams had come true. But Amy had remained faithful and shattered his dreams once more.  
  
His heart had felt like breaking, then, into a million pieces. Like glass, Ephram thought now. Everyone in the room seemed so fragile, especially his father, and Ephram could not bear it. He had to leave, so he did. He got up and exited the hospital into the bright warm sun, a comfort in his grief. Everyone present in the room, noticed his departure, but not even his father went to find out why he left.  
  
Ephram looked at the mountains in the distance, wishing for some odd reason that he could be there even though it was nearing summer and the snow was probably melting. Somehow, he felt drawn to them. Everwood was his home, now, every part of it, including them. That must be why he felt drawn to them. It led him to another memory, another recent one of a lost deer and how he had felt then, lost in this little town of Everwood, wishing for his home, back in New York.  
  
He had made a new home though, over, in Everwood, Colorado. He hoped the deer had made a new one too. Ephram sighed and again his thoughts traveled back to his guilt over not having stuck by Colin and to of course, Amy. How was she holding up? He wanted to comfort her but the hospital had become unbearable. Again, he thought back to another memory. He could have caused her less grief too. He was the one who told her to go back to her boyfriend, but now, he realized he was glad he did. His words and the bitter cold, was what he remembered most clearly about that night.  
  
Ephram began to walk down a street of Denver. People were passing by oblivious to the tragedy inside of the hospital. It suddenly made Ephram feel a bit angry. He wanted to shout to them, "Why are you so damn happy!" It made Ephram feel a little sick inside how people could be so happy on a day like this. How they could be so oblivious and how they could pass by with their happy little lives without a fucking care in the world. This was how it had been with his mother's death, as well. Ephram had felt that way about the world for weeks. He saw the bus stop, the one he and Amy took to get to Denver one time. Or was it twice? The bus was pulling up and Ephram walked purposefully towards it, and got on.  
  
"Everwood, Colorado." He said, quickly and sat in a seat by himself at the back of the bus, where no one would look at him. Now, Ephram began to cry silently. 


	2. Chapter One:Fall Chill

Chapter One  
  
Fall Chill  
  
A few months had passed since Colin Hart's death, but the day was forever engraved in Ephram's mind. He would never forget the grief in Amy's eyes, or the guilt in his father's. He would never forget the guilt he himself had felt. Of course that grief and guilt was still with him, just like his grief for his mother.  
  
Ephram sighed and looked at Colin's grave. Now as he stood over the grave, he wondered why he had bothered to come here. All it did was bring up a few painful memories.  
  
Ephram laid the flowers he had brought on the grave and turned to leave.  
  
"I'm sorry, Colin," he whispered, "I'm so sorry." Ephram turned and walked away, giving Colin's grave one last look before he took off for his first day of school.  
  
He wandered down the road slowly, tears welling in his eyes. He brushed them away and stuck his hands in his pockets. It seemed colder this year than last year. Or maybe Ephram's grief just made it seem colder.  
  
He was not looking forward to school at all. Everything would seem different, and everyone blamed his father and him a little for Colin's death. They blamed his father especially. And he would be forced to see Amy. Amy, who had pointedly told Ephram how much she blamed his father.  
  
Ephram continued to walk slowly. He was dressed in all black, as he had been every day of the summer. This only pointed out how pale he was and how his eyes were rimmed red and bloodshot. Ephram rubbed at his eyes, exhausted and worn out. He had had enough of the glares from people who blamed his family for the loss they had suffered.  
  
He reached his bike at the end of the graveyard and sped away toward the school. With each push of the pedal, he went slower and slower. He went so slowly, that he was late to school, as usual, even though he had woken up far earlier then normal. The dread was evident.  
  
He locked up his bike in the bike rack and nervously went into the school. A couple of other people who were late saw him and glared at him. Apparently, like everyone else, they too had heard the news. Ephram sighed and saw his friend Wendell walking towards his first class, which also happened to be Ephram's first class. Wendell saw him, and turned around.  
  
"Hey, yo what's happening?" Wendell said. Ephram ignored him and pushed past Wendell into their first class.  
  
"What's up with that, man?" Wendell asked. Ephram sighed and did not say anything.  
  
"Whatever, dude. Hey can I come over to your house after school?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Hey come on, I'm just trying to be friendly."  
  
"Well you're trying too hard." Ephram sat down. Wendell took a seat next to him.  
  
"Come on, please can I come over?"  
  
"Why?" Ephram snapped, "Something wrong with your life?"  
  
"Hey, hey. Not cool, man, not cool. Listen. I know everyone blames your dad and all for Colin's death, and I just want you to know that I don't blame you in the slightest."  
  
"Yea, whatever," Ephram said, as the bell rang signaling class to begin. Ephram sighed and looked forward to what was about to be the worst school day of his entire life.  
  
***  
  
Ephram was all too ready to go home by the time lunch rolled around. All day no one would look at him or either that they would glare at him. His teachers had ignored Ephram too. Ephram had wanted to lash out at all the people who had treated him as invisible or an alien from one of his comics. He wanted to go up in their faces and yell, "I'm right here so you can stop pretending I'm invisible!" or he wanted to yell, "Stop glaring at me. I did nothing to you!"  
  
He looked at his food, which did not seem very tasteful at the moment. He was all alone in the cafeteria, until he saw Wendell come up to join him. Ephram groaned. Couldn't Wendell see that he wanted to be left alone?  
  
Obviously not, Ephram thought to himself, Great, just what I need.  
  
"Hey Ephram, dude, are you going to eat that?" Wendell pointed to some of the cafeteria grub, which never tasted that good anyways. Especially today.  
  
"Go ahead," Ephram muttered, "Eat away." And then puke so you can leave me alone finally! Wendell started to grab at Ephram's food. He ate like a starving beast. I may have to puke, Ephram thought seeing Wendell's table manners.  
  
Seeing Wendell was too involved with his food, Ephram left for the library. That will certainly be quiet.  
  
***  
  
When school finally let out for the day, Ephram breathed a sigh of relief. A headache was starting to come on, onset, probably from school pressures and Ephram got out of there as fast as he could.  
  
He pedaled hard and fast, ignoring the chilly wind of the fall air. He made it home without any more interruptions and he was grateful for that. However the cool air had worsened his headache and all Ephram wanted to do was lie down.  
  
His father was not downstairs when Ephram entered the house. He figured his father was upstairs doing nothing, for he had not been to work in quite some time. Ephram didn't like this, for he didn't think it was exactly healthy. But look at what your doing, that isn't exactly healthy either, a voice said in his mind, being lost in yourself. In my guilt, Ephram realized. But he couldn't help it. No matter what, he still felt guilty. He always did lately.  
  
Ephram laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling. His headache was bothering him and so were his thoughts. They crowded his mind like a pack of vultures stuck together in a cramped cage. He rubbed his forehead, trying to ease the pain. But he decided the best course of action would be to take some Tylenol. So slowly he forced himself to the kitchen and swallowed a pill. Then he retreated back to the living room where he lied down again.  
  
Ephram continued his staring until he heard a couple of footsteps coming down the stairs. He abruptly sat straight up. It was his father, Dr. Brown. He looked to Ephram a mess, a shadow of his former self. His hair seemed to be graying slightly and he looked thinner to Ephram.  
  
"Dad?" he asked hesitantly. His dad did not respond. In fact he did not even glance in Ephram's direction. Instead he went to his doctor's bag, the bag he had not picked up since Colin's death. Ephram watched his father intently, surprised at his course of action. His dad rummaged through the black bag, as if searching for something. But Ephram thought that was impossible. He hadn't had a patient in months. The town seemed to have lost faith in Andy Brown. He pulled out a folder.  
  
"You're working?" Ephram asked surprised.  
  
"Yes," his father replied.  
  
"Whose the patient?" Ephram asked.  
  
"Irv, I need to give him a diet chart because of his heart."  
  
"Oh." It looked like not everyone in the town hated the Browns. It gave Ephram brief hope and for an instant his headache seemed to have vanished. Then it returned, with a vengeance.  
  
"Damn," Ephram muttered.  
  
His dad looked at him.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing,' Ephram said rubbing his head.  
  
His dad looked at him closely.  
  
"I'm fine, dad, really. Just go to Irv's."  
  
"All right," his dad said, "Did you take Tylenol at least?"  
  
"Yeah," Ephram replied, "But I'm fine, seriously. It's just a headache." Ephram's dad gave him one last look then walked out the door. Ephram watched him go and then continued his staring at the ceiling. He did not even hear Delia walk in.  
  
"Ephram?" she asked in a quiet voice.  
  
"Hmm? What?" Ephram said sitting up.  
  
"I'm hungry," she told him, "Are you making dinner? And where's dad?"  
  
"He went to Irv's," Ephram replied, "Be happy, this is the first patient he's had in months."  
  
"I know," Delia replied, "Are you okay, though? Why are you just lying there?"  
  
"I'm fine, Delia." Ephram sighed, "I just have a headache. I'll make you food in 10 minutes, ok?"  
  
"Ok." Delia seemed pleased with the answer so she scampered off. Ephram was alone again. He seemed to be living in his own world, even within his own family. He seemed disconnected from them, somehow. He felt like he had when he had lost his mother, only worse, because there was guilt mixed in too. The world somehow seemed duller and more irritating. Ephram had closed himself off then, and now he was doing the same.  
  
He got up from the couch though, thinking of Delia. Lately, he realized he had only been thinking about himself. He hadn't shown much compassion. Then again, the people of Everwood weren't exactly being friendly to the Browns lately. Why should he show others compassion if they weren't showing the same? He shook his head, ignoring the thought. But that's no reason for being distant with my own family. I haven't helped dad at all. Normally I do such a good job with that. It has to be harder on my dad, then me. He loves his job, and he basically has lost it with one failure. You can't win every battle. There's no way. But everyone thought my dad could never fail. He proved them he was human, and that was what led to this. They treated him as a sort of god of medicine. Now they can only see all of his flaws, and none of the great things about him.  
  
For Ephram knew, despite his flaws of being a father, Dr. Brown was truly great. His father was like a comic book superhero, a savior of people. But even in comics, Ephram realized, the heroes fail sometimes too. But they don't give up, they keep fighting. And my father is giving up. But not anymore. He's starting to fight back.  
  
Ephram, feeling slightly better from the knowledge that his father was finally fighting back, walked into the kitchen with renewed energy that he hadn't had moments ago, much less in a long time. Months now, Ephram thought. He rummaged through the counters looking for something to cook.  
  
"Pizza?" he asked Delia, who had been waiting for him in the kitchen.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Good. Do you want BBQ chicken or Pepperoni?"  
  
"BBQ chicken. It's that California Pizza Kitchen flavor right?"  
  
"Yup," Ephram replied, "Go wash up while I cook it."  
  
"Ok," Delia said and she exited the kitchen. Delia's happier then any of us. She's a light in this dark house, Ephram realized. She never knew Colin really. And that was good. Ephram didn't want his sister going through another tragedy. Their mom had been bad enough. 


	3. Chapter Two:Accepted

Comments: Author note at the end of the chapter.be sure to read.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Accepted  
  
That night, Ephram had a terrible, haunting dream. He woke up in a cold sweat and for a second he didn't remember anything. Then the dream came back to him like a speeding bullet. He had been dreaming about death. His own death in fact, and it scared him a bit. Ephram had not wanted to live his life lately, but he certainly did not want to die. He was too young. Ephram shuddered at the thought.  
  
He sat up in his bed, and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. He sat there for a long moment, thinking, but not about the dream. About his life. His life that had become a mess in recent months. It seemed only yesterday that he finally called Everwood home, but now, with the town against him, he wasn't sure if he was in the right place. He felt like when he had first moved to town; an outsider.  
  
But this time, he didn't make himself that way. It was the people who lived here who did. Even the girl who had befriended him when he had first came to town was now cold to him. He wished he could escape this town, go back to New York, but he wondered if he would fit there again. He could move in with his grandparents, but that would just be running away. And it wouldn't be the same as living with his family.  
  
Ephram slowly got out of bed, feeling the need to make some hot chocolate. He wanted to relax and Ephram knew he wouldn't get that by staying in his bed. He walked to the kitchen, praying no one in the house would wake up as he made the chocolate.  
  
He started boiling the water, when he heard footsteps. Great, he muttered, to himself.  
  
"Ephram? What are you doing up?" he heard his father ask.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"What are you making?"  
  
"Just some hot chocolate. I.I couldn't sleep." Ephram admitted.  
  
"Neither could I."  
  
Ephram frowned, "Why not?" But the answer came to him. Colin, it had to be Colin. His father probably lay awake thinking of what more he could have done for him. If the surgery was the right thing in the first place. Ephram knew that it was though. Without it, Colin probably would have died anyways. But that knowledge did not stop Ephram's guilt. Nothing ever would, Ephram thought.  
  
His father entered the kitchen as Ephram sat down with his hot chocolate. Dr. Brown sat down with his son. They sat that way for a moment, not looking at each other and not talking either. Dr. Brown looked at his son, then. He couldn't stand to see his son this way. He was more miserable and depressed then when they had first arrived here. But he didn't know what to do about it. And his own guilt consumed him as well. Ephram watched his father as well, wondering what he was thinking about.  
  
"Dad," Ephram said, "Everything's going to be okay."  
  
His dad smiled, the first that Ephram had seen in a long time.  
  
"It is." Ephram gave a little smile then too.  
  
"Do you want some hot chocolate?"  
  
"Sure." Ephram smiled again and then got up to make it.  
  
"Here," he handed his dad a steaming mug of hot chocolate. His father sipped it, slowly.  
  
"This is good," he told his son, smiling. They seemed happy on the surface. And Ephram realized, for the time being, he really was. His family was the only thing that could make him happy, even with the horrible nightmare still in the back of his mind. But Ephram felt somehow safer now with his dad sitting next to him and the hot mug in his hand.  
  
***  
  
Ephram groaned when he woke up the next morning. He was so tired. He figured he probably should have just gone back to sleep after he had the dream, but then realized that wouldn't have been possible anyways. He was just going to have to deal with it.  
  
He looked at his reflection in a mirror. His eyes were red and bloodshot again. Ephram's face was pale and grayish. He didn't know how he was going to make it through another torturous day at school. Most of his classmates would simply treat him how they had treated him yesterday. Ephram sighed and came downstairs to the smell of burnt breakfast. Dad's making breakfast. Great. I think I'll just skip it today. He slipped out quietly through the back door, shutting it closed. Then he hopped on his bike, like he always did and sped away for school.  
  
He saw Amy at the entrance and she was walking towards him. That made Ephram pause. She's going to talk to me? He wondered.  
  
"Hi," Amy said quietly. It was an awkward moment.  
  
"Hey," Ephram said awkwardly as well.  
  
"Are you okay?" Amy asked him, concerned with his appearance. "Fine, why?" he asked.  
  
"You just don't look very well." Amy paused not knowing what to say. Ephram just stood there, his hands in his pockets, wondering if she was going to make a fool of him.  
  
"Ephram, I know everyone." she trailed off.  
  
"Has been treating me like shit." He said angrily, his voice rising just a bit.  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry," Amy said, "I want to apologize. It's just after, you know, I felt like I had to blame someone for his death. So I blamed your dad and I wouldn't talk to you because I was mad at your dad. I know that was wrong and stupid of me."  
  
"So you're talking to me again." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
Amy nodded, "I'm sorry Ephram, I know it wasn't your fault. But I'm still mad at your father." Ephram nodded. That was to be expected. But at least he knew, not everyone in the world hated him. Somehow the thought that Amy was on his side again made him feel that much better.  
  
"Ready for school?" she asked. Ephram laughed, something he hadn't done in awhile either.  
  
"Yeah right." Amy smiled back at him. Ephram blushed a little and smiled back. Together they walked into the school together.  
  
They split up, as they had different first periods.  
  
"I'll see you in second," Ephram told her as they went opposite directions.  
  
"See you." Amy walked towards the other end. Ephram watched her leave. He felt much better then he had in awhile, and knew, that this school day would be at least bearable.  
  
***  
  
However at lunch, Wendell came over and asked if he could stay at the Brown's for the second day in a row. Ephram was in such a good mood that he said yes. Afterwards, he wondered why he did it.  
  
Oh well, he thought, dad is in a better mood too, he won't mind much, I don't think.  
  
Ephram sat down at an empty table with Wendell. No sooner then he had sat down he saw Amy approaching him. Why does she want to sit over here? Ephram thought.  
  
"Hey Ephram," she greeted, "Mind if I join you?"  
  
"No, but I don't know why you would want to sit with outcasts."  
  
"I think I have a pass."  
  
Ephram smiled, remembering the spring formal when Amy had said almost exactly the same thing. Not quite, but almost. And he was grateful to her for it.  
  
"So, Ephram," Amy began the conversation, "What have you been up to lately? I mean because I haven't seen you and all."  
  
"The usual. Reading comics, listening to music."  
  
"Me too. This summer, it's just been so hard. I wake up thinking that Colin's going to come over and then when I remember, it's just hard, you know?"  
  
"I know." Ephram said quietly. He saw the funeral in his mind, how cold and gray that summer day was. It was as if it happened yesterday.  
  
***  
  
Everyone had worn black, and almost the whole town had shown up, Ephram remembered. Colin was going to be buried. His father had stood right beside him and Delia had been there too, standing just in front of him. He did not speak a word to barely anyone at the funeral except his family. The whole scene was torture and he relieved it through his dreams, seeing Colin's body in the casket and being lowered to the ground. It seemed impossible that a healthy young man was now dead and Ephram had felt guilty at the funeral that he hadn't helped Colin more. If Colin could die, than Ephram and everyone at the funeral could too.  
  
Ephram had hated the feeling around the funeral. It only made him hurt more then he already did. The funeral had seemed so long to him, so unbearable, but he did not leave like he had at the hospital. He felt it was his duty to stay. It was only respectful to Colin.  
  
***  
  
"Ephram?" Amy asked.  
  
"Huh?" Ephram's mind suddenly snapped back to reality. He looked around, almost as if he were confused as to where he was. Then he remembered.  
  
"You okay?" Amy asked him.  
  
"Yea. Sorry. I let my mind wander a bit. Thinking, you know." Amy nodded, she did know.  
  
"I'm just so tired." Ephram told her. Amy nodded. Ephram certainly did look tired. He was slumped in his seat having not touched his food at all.  
  
"Eat something." Amy said.  
  
Ephram shook his head. "I'm not that hungry," he muttered. Wendell looked at him.  
  
"Can I have it then?" he asked.  
  
"Sure." Ephram pushed his plate over to Wendell and retreated to staring at the table.  
  
"I have a half of a sandwich if you don't want the cafeteria food," Amy offered.  
  
"No thanks."  
  
"You didn't eat lunch yesterday," Wendell pointed out.  
  
"Wait, did you eat breakfast?" Amy asked.  
  
"No, with my dad's cooking, it would make anyone lose their appetite. And the cafeteria food isn't all that great either."  
  
"Here, have the rest of my sandwich then." Ephram looked at it. It looked better than anything else he had seen recently. He took it and took a bite.  
  
"Not bad," he told her.  
  
"Eat the rest of it then." Ephram took another bite then set it back down on the table.  
  
"That's all you're going to eat, dude?" Wendell asked incredulously.  
  
"No." Ephram bit into the sandwich again. Lunch passed then in a blur. Ephram finished the rest of the sandwich and they made forced small talk, in Ephram's opinion, anyway.  
  
The bell rang and Ephram got up slowly.  
  
"Wait, Ephram!" Amy said, "Don't get up yet."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I have something to show you." She dug around in her backpack and pulled out what appeared to be a photo album.  
  
"You want to show me pictures?"  
  
"Of the class ski trip last year. I just put them in an album recently." "I see, but aren't we going to be late? The bell just rang, and if I'm late to anymore classes I'll be in trouble. My grades last year were not that good, you know."  
  
"I know, but I just have one picture to show you."  
  
"Okay, okay." Ephram sat back down. Amy handed Ephram the picture. The two of them were standing in front of the ski lodge. Ephram smiled and then handed the picture back to Amy.  
  
"Well, I have to go, I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Okay," replied Amy. Ephram got up from the table hurriedly and practically dashed off to his next class.  
  
*** Ephram wasn't surprised his father was not around when he got home with Wendell. His father probably had patients, which, in Ephram's opinion was a good thing. He wasn't moping around the house anymore, like he had been doing in the summer.  
  
"Why do you want to hang around here anyways?" Ephram asked.  
  
Wendell said nothing. He had his reasons, but he wasn't about to spill his private home life. His home life was much worse then almost anybody in the school.  
  
When Wendell did not respond, Ephram looked at him. Wendell was staring at the table.  
  
"Hey, Wendell, you there?" Ephram asked. Wendell looked up.  
  
"Oh, sorry dude."  
  
"No sweat." An awkward silence followed. Then Wendell asked if he could see some of Ephram's comics. Ephram reluctantly agreed, hoping Wendell wouldn't mess them up. Ephram took pride in his comic collection and kept them nice.  
  
After Wendell looked at the comics, Ephram suggested they should do their homework. Wendell looked at him as if he were nuts.  
  
"Dude, we're going to do homework?"  
  
"Why not? Nothing else to do around here."  
  
"I guess." Wendell sat at the table, but did not pull out any homework.  
  
Ephram started his homework, and after awhile got annoyed with Wendell just staring in space.  
  
"Aren't you going to do your homework?" Ephram asked him.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Then what are you going to do?"  
  
"Sit here."  
  
"You really want to be that bored?"  
  
"Yep, better then being at home." Ephram knew Wendell didn't want to talk about his home life so he said nothing.  
  
"Well, why don't I take a break.and we could get ice cream somewhere."  
  
"Sure, dude. Anything." Ephram stood up and walked out the door. Wendell followed suit and the two of them walked down the streets of Everwood. It was here that his guilt consumed him again. Wendell wasn't talking much either. Probably thinking of his home life. I wonder what is so bad about it? But it's none of my business. Ephram looked around this town sadly. When he had finally accepted Everwood, he kind of felt like it would be a new beginning for him. The year before, he hadn't really been living in Everwood. He was on the outside looking in. But when he had started to accept Everwood, he felt like he finally fit. Ephram wished the town could see that it wasn't the Brown's fault that Colin died. Any other doctor would have failed on the first operation. It would have been two miracles if Dr. Brown had succeeded on the second surgery.  
  
Tears filled his eyes, and Ephram blinked them away. Again, he looked at the mountains, wanting to be there. But every part of him told him that he couldn't go. He had to stay here for the moment at least.  
  
They reached the ice cream shop. Ephram wondered if he would ever be accepted here again, like he had been just a few months ago.  
  
Wendell and Ephram ordered ice cream then sat down at a table and ate it. Ephram ate his slowly. He barely paid any attention to it. Instead his eyes were on the girl who walked in the shop.  
  
Amy, the girl whom he loved so much. She walked purposefully to the counter. Ephram watched as she picked up an order. She turned around and saw Ephram and waved.  
  
He waved back. Then he watched as she exited the shop.  
  
"Hey, Colin's gone. Your hers." Wendell pointed out.  
  
"Not yet." Ephram said, "She's not over him, it'll take a while before she begins to accept his death." "Yeah, but when she does."  
  
Ephram nodded and smiled. Yes, Amy would be able to accept her feelings that he knew she felt. He wanted to believe that anyway. His heart wanted it to be true, even if it wasn't. The other people in the shop were glaring at him, but he didn't care at the moment. He hardly noticed it because he was too consumed with his own thoughts, as he had been the entire summer.  
  
A/N: The chapter is long.I know, I made it that way so that you have something to enjoy because the next chapter won't be up until next Wednesday at the earliest.I am going on vacation. Please read and review.I would like to get more reviews before I put up the third chapter. 


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